Ohio State coach Urban Meyer hasn’t had to spend much time talking about what freshman running back Dontre Wilson could bring to the offense. Players — even fellow freshmen — know why Wilson has a chance to play immediately.

Growing up as a football and track standout in DeSoto, Texas, Wilson didn’t need anyone to define what set him apart. He usually has been the fastest player on the field. So it has been for his first nine days on the practice field at Ohio State, with one possible exception — all-Big Ten cornerback Bradley Roby.

“Me and him haven’t raced or anything like that yet, but I have been pretty much one of the fastest dudes on each team I’ve played on,” Wilson said.

Asked whether he and Roby have been contemplating a showdown, Wilson laughed and said, “We haven’t discussed it, but we could here in the near future.”

Race or no race, Wilson already has earned respect with upperclassmen. Linebacker Ryan Shazier believes most freshmen should be seen and not talked about, but he was willing to make an exception in Wilson’s case.

“I feel like he’s going to be a good guy here,” Shazier said. “He’s doing everything that the coaches want him to do, and he’s following directions.”

There’s no denying the buzz, especially after Wilson turned in some big plays in practices last week.

“Yes, I am surprised. I didn’t expect it to be this way,” Wilson said. “But I work hard every day, do my job and do what’s asked of me, and I get the job done.”

Wilson projects a courteous but confident air. When he was asked whether he could be a home-run hitter, one of the key items missing from Ohio State’s offense in Meyer’s first season, Wilson offered an anything-but-boastful affirmation.

“Yes, sir,” he said. “I’d like to think so.”

Big plays were his forte at DeSoto, one of the premier big-school football programs in Texas. He rushed for 1,895 yards and 37 touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 750 yards and nine touchdowns.

That versatility is why most every major college program came calling, especially those with spread offenses. For a while, he was committed to the flag-bearer in that category, Oregon, but when coach Chip Kelly departed late in the recruiting season for the Philadelphia Eagles, Wilson withdrew his commitment. It was then that he started looking seriously at Ohio State, for whom offensive coordinator Tom Herman had worked diligently for him all along.

Six months after making that decision, Wilson said during a break in Ohio State’s preseason that he’s certain the move was the correct one.

“Who wouldn’t like to get coached by Urban Meyer?” he said. “I don’t think Oregon would have been the same without Coach Kelly.”

In turn, Ohio State’s offense likely won’t be the same with Wilson on the field, at least compared with last year’s model.

“Oh, man, he’s probably one of the fastest dudes I’ve seen in a while,” junior running back Rod Smith said. “He’s just quick and explosive.”

Apple added, “He’s like a jitterbug. You see him on the field, his feet just move so fast.”

The numbers tell Wilson’s tale: He ran the 100 meters in 10.5 seconds during his junior year in high school, the 200 in 20.9 seconds last year and the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds early this summer at Ohio State. But running backs coach Stan Drayton said what is most impressive about Wilson is that the speed comes from a 5-foot-10, 180-pound package that has “football player” stamped on the side.

“One thing about Dontre you saw coming from high school was the speed factor and him playing in space, the ability to make people miss, the ability to explode and make long-yardage plays,” Drayton said.

“What’s surprising is he’s bringing a little bit of maturity to him on the football field. Now, he’s got a long way to go as far as development and maturity, but on the field, he’s kind of there and seeming like he’s ready to play. He’s an unbelievable addition to this football team.”

Wilson said he learned his ethic playing for coach Claude Mathis at DeSoto High. As for this summer, he said there’s no reason not to be in an excellent mood now that camp is in full swing.

“I just come and do what I’m told to do,” Wilson said. “And I do what I love to do, which is just play football.”